Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Touqan met with Gelsomina Vigliotti, Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), to discuss collaborative efforts to support Jordan’s development priorities in alignment with its economic modernization vision.
Touqan emphasized the importance of continued cooperation with the EIB, which serves as the European Union’s financing arm and a key development partner for Jordan. The discussions focused on supporting the 2023-2025 executive program of the economic modernization vision, including capital projects and public-private partnership initiatives.
In a press release issued Tuesday, Touqan commended the EIB for its investment and technical loans and grants, which have financed crucial projects in sectors such as water, sanitation, energy, transportation, healthcare, industry, mining, and education. The EIB’s support extends to private sector development, infrastructure, and intermediary lending for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a
s well as feasibility studies for projects in these areas.
Key projects financed by the EIB in Jordan include the Disi water supply project, Wadi Al Arab water supply to northern governorates, and water and sanitation projects in Deir Alla and Al Karama. The EIB also funded vaccine purchases during the pandemic and pledged support for the national water carrier project from Aqaba to Amman.
Vigliotti reiterated the EIB’s commitment to understanding Jordan’s development needs and expressed eagerness for future cooperation in sectors like digitization, energy, environment, and climate change, all of which align with Jordan’s 2023-2025 economic modernization program.
On the sidelines of the meeting, an agreement was signed to establish an EIB representation office in Jordan, further strengthening the long-standing cooperation between the two sides, which began with a framework agreement in 1997. This office aims to enhance the EIB’s presence and activities in Jordan, providing technical and financial support f
or both private and public investments to support the economic modernization vision and public sector modernization roadmap, added the statement.
The EIB announced a grant to bolster Jordan’s public health sector, including the purchase of 12 ambulances worth 990,000 euros. These ambulances will enhance the Ministry of Health’s emergency response capabilities, particularly in Amman and northern regions hosting Syrian refugees, thus improving healthcare access and emergency response times.
“The EIB is pleased to provide new support for healthcare in Jordan and to fund the purchase of 12 new ambulances from the Bank’s Economic Resilience Initiative Fund. These specialized ambulances will facilitate faster emergency medical care and safe patient transport,” said Vigliotti.
From 2014 to 2024, the EIB’s portfolio in Jordan has grown to approximately 1.8 billion euros, focusing on water, health, transportation, energy, urban development, and lending to local banks to support micro, small, and medium enterprises.
Source: Jordan News Agency